Building block



1. c. POTH AND H. R. ERDMANN.

- BUILDING BLOCK. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1920.

1,412,573. Patented-Apr- 11, 1922 I 2 SHEETSFSHEET n. 39

h 1D b 11% dos eph [3 PcrH-L Ha rman R Er dm J. C. POTH AND H. 'R.ERDMANN. BUILDING BLOCK. As PucAnou FILED JUNE 15, 1920.

1,412,.57 3. Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- ags" 110551311 ILLPEI L HBrmanE E1-*dmarm UnitedStates, and residents of FUNITED I JOSEPH o. PO'IH T all whom it mayconcern:

Be'it knownthat we, JosErH C. Porn and Hnnimnlt: Ennarann, both citizensof the Milwaukee, in" the county of Milwaukee and State of\Visconsimhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in BuildingBlocks; andwe do hereby declare that the following :"isa full, clear,and exact description thereof.

Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in building unitssuch as the usual hollow concrete or tile blocks generally in use as amaterial for constructing dw el'lings and other buildings.

'It'is one important object of our invention to provide a simplyconstructed building block which can be inexpensively made of concreteand the like, and which will have every effective means for retainingtheseveral blocks forming a wall against possible longitudinal ortransverse shifting.

A further important object of the inventionis to )rovide a buildingblock having means in one or more of its exposed faces, whereby when anumber of such blocks are associated together in the form of a wall, anextremely effective binding may be obtained therebetween.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a ventilatedbuilding block having means for association with the ventilating openingof adjacent blocks which will prevent the plurality of blocks forming awall from shifting with respect to each other.

lVith these general objects in view, theinvention resides in the novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts whichwill be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 represents an elevational view of a portion of one corner of abuilding wall fashioned of our improved blocks.

Figure 2 is a plane view of the corner portion of an unfinished wall.

' Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on theplane of the line 33 of Figure 2. r

Figure 4C is a vertical transverse sectlon on the plane of the line H ofFigure 3. and

Figure 5 is a perspective view, of a slightl v modified form of buildingblock having all of the features shown in the other blocks representedin Figures 1 to 4:, together with certain additional features.

In using our improved block, various dif- Specification of LettersPatent.

AND HERMAN R. ERDMANN; or MILWAUKEE, wIsooNsrN.

isnrrinrns- Brook.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

1 'Application filed June 15, 1920. Serial No. 389,097.

ferentarrangements may be employed in assembling the same, and alsochanges may be made in the form andp'roportions and in the minor detailsof construction without departing from the principles of the inventionor sacrificing any of the important advauta For instance, in Figure 2 isshown a corner block which is slightly different from the ordinaryintermediate wall blocks, while in Figure 5 is depicted a block somewhatdifferent from the other illustrated embodiments of the invention.

Refcrring'more particularly to these drawings, it will be seen that wemay constructa wallof any suitable size and shape with a number of ourimproved blocks 1, each of which is substantially rectangular and isprovided with a longitudinally extending substantially rectangularrecess 2 opening through the top and bottom thereof. As indicated inFigure 3 the several recesses in the plurality of blocks 1 forming thewall are not alined, but there is communication therebetween so thatproper ventilation may be procured. Each of the blocks 1 has avertically extending centrally located tongue 3 at one end, and in asimilar position at the other end is provided a vertical channel 4.

he tongues 3 and channels 4 are of a corresponding size and shape, andwhen-the blocks are assembled the tongue of one of the same is locatedin the channel of the next adjacent block in the same horizontal row.However, when an end or corner block 1' is used, the usual end channelis omitted and instead is formed in one of the side walls as shown at iin Figure 2. Thus the ordinary formation of the outer exposed face ofthe wall may be similar throughout the surface thereof.

Each end of the recess 2 is provided with upstanding lugs 5, these lugsprojecting above the upper surface of the block a sufiicient distance toeffectively co-operate with the faces of the recesses in the adjacentblocks when the plurality of said blocks are assembled. Obviously if itis considered necessary or desirable, these lugs may depend from thebottoms of the blocks, or in nioling the same, said blocks may beinverted.

Likewise each of. the blocks 1 and 1' has outer exposed face provided ateach orner with a rabbet G. in other words these rabhets extend aroundthe entire outer exposed face of the block as shown in Figure providingan effective seal and a means for preventing shifting of the differentblocks. inasmuch as it is desirable to coat the outer and inner surfacesof the building Wall, sald surfaces are roughened or provided with turewhich will be a very great improvesmall horizontally extending grooves9. In other words, these surfaces are so formed as to provide thenecessary adhesion between the same and the covering material, such asstucco or the like on the outer surface and plaster on the innersurface.

When the plurality o l blocks are assembled as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3and 4, the tongues 3 will be located in their respective channels 4 andthe lugs 5 in the adjacent recesses 2 of the blocks in the neXt higherrow. Under ordinary circumstances the tongues and grooves would preventlateral shifting of the blocks, ,but the provision of the lugs inco-operation with the ventilating recesses provide a still furtherimprovement in the wall. And, in addition to these features the dovetailbinding between the corner portions of each of the blocks provides astrucof the lugs being disposed in a perpendicular 7 plane and meetingthe upper surface of the block in a line which is in the same plane asthe side faces of the opening whereby when the blocks are laid instaggered relation the lugs of each block will project into the openingin the block above and center said block so that the adjacent rabbets oftwo contiguous blocks willregister to form a dovetail to receive plasticbuilding and surfacing material.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our handsat Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lViseonsin.

JOSEPH C. POTH. HERMAN .R. ERDMANN.

